The Logical Blog by IconLogic

Adobe Captivate 3: Take a Pause... To Understand Active vs Inactive

If you have inserted a Button or Text Entry Box onto an Adobe Captivate slide, the odds are very good that you have been baffled by the action, or lack of action, that occurs on the slide after the Button or Text Entry Box has been inserted. For instance, let's take a long look at the timeline below:

There are three images on the slide. The slide is set to play for just over 13 seconds. If you take a close look at the Timeline, you'll notice that the first image appears right away. It is followed a few seconds later by a second image and then a third.

If you were creating a demonstration project, there isn't much you would have to change on the Timeline--the images would appear on their own, one after the other.

Here's where things get interesting. Imagine a scenario where you are asked to insert a Button on the slide with the three images. Users should be able to click the Button at any time and jump to the next slide (without having to wait for any of the images to appear on the slide).

At first, your task seems as simple as choosing Insert > Button, selecting Go to next slide from the On success drop down menu and clicking OK.

After inserting the Button, your Timeline would look like the image below (the Button is the last object on the Timeline, just above the words Slide 1, 13.4):

If you were to preview the slide, you'd quickly run into the problem: the Button will appear right away (as instructed) and then the first image will appear. But then the wheel comes off of your wobbly cart. After the Button and the Image appear, the action on the slide will seem to freeze. Hmmmm? If you were to click the Button, you'd jump to the next slide. However, the remaining images will not appear before the slide jump. Ideally, the slide would not have become inactive until all of the images had had a chance to appear on the slide. What's a developer to do? Read on! When you insert Buttons and Text Entry Boxes on a Captivate slide, you can control exactly when the object appears on the slide, and at what point in time the object will freeze all slide action. In the image below, notice on the Button object that there is a thin gray line at 1 1/2 seconds on the Timeline.

To the right of the gray line you will notice the word Inactive. The Button includes an option that will Pause the slide after a specified amount of time (or, put another way, make the slide Inactive). Your ability to control the Pause after time, or the point that the slide becomes Inactive, is critical to success on the Timeline, especially if you have multiple objects on the slide. You can control when the slide becomes Inactive two ways: directly on the Timeline; or via the Properties of the Button.

In the image below, notice that the gray line is being dragged right.

In the image below, the gray line has been moved to 3 seconds on the Timeline. If you look at the top of the Timeline, the slide would now freeze at 3 seconds and the 2.bmp image would appear since the slide will freeze after the image has had a chance to appear. However, if you were to play the slide, the image 3.bmp would not appear because the slide would become inactive before the image had a chance to appear.

The image below shows the Inactive setting moved to after 4 seconds on the Timeline. By that time, the third and final image has had a chance to appear on the slide.

If dragging the thin gray line on the Timeline is not your cup of tea (since it's so small, the gray line can be difficult to grab), you can right-click the Button and choose Properties. On the Options tab, you can change the Pause after to an appropriate time and then click OK.

Got a Captivate production problem that's making you pull your hair out? Email your problem and let others learn solutions from your experience. Want to learn more about Captivate? Click here.

Grammar Workshop: Should You Start a Sentence with Because?

by Jennie Ruby

Note: Asterisks indicate a grammatically incorrect sentence. A frequently asked question from my grammar classes is this one: Can you start a sentence with because? The short answer is, yes, if you make sure it is in fact a complete sentence. The longer answer is not an answer, but a question: where did you get the idea that you could not?

First, the short answer. You can start a sentence with because, as long as you make sure to fully complete the sentence. One clause beginning with the word because does not constitute a sentence. These are fragments:

• *Because the newspapers reported it.*
• *Because the river ran dry.*

If you follow the clause beginning with because with a complete independent clause, however, you are in business. These are complete sentences:

• Because the newspapers reported it, the neighbors believed it.
• Because the river ran dry, the dam would no longer provide electricity.

Now, the long answer. My theory as to why so many people think you cannot start a sentence with because is that school teachers use this "rule" to help students avoid writing fragments like the ones in asterisks above. You may find this rule useful yourself if you are prone to this error. Thus, if you do not allow yourself to start a sentence with because, you will automatically correct fragments beginning with because. You might correct this fragment:

• *Because I said so.*

By creating this complete sentence:

• The children stayed inside this afternoon because I said so.

You may also correct fragments like the ones in asterisks above by rewriting so that because is not at the beginning:

• The neighbors believed the story because the newspaper reported it.
• The dam would no long provide electricity because the river ran dry. 

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About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Essentials of Access 2000" and "Editing with MS Word 2003 and Adobe Acrobat 7" to her credit. Jennie specializes in electronic editing. At the American Psychological Association, she was manager of electronic publishing and manager of technical editing and journal production. Jennie has an M.A. from George Washington University and is a Certified Technical Trainer (Chauncey Group). She is a publishing professional with 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.

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Want help with a grammar issue? Email us your troubles and we'll turn Jennie loose!

Adobe Captivate 3: Creating Drop-Down Question Slides

You can quickly create Question Slides in Adobe Captivate 3 that allow you to gauge the effectiveness of your eLearning course. When you choose Quiz > Question Slide, you will be presented with several Question Types including:

• Multiple choice: Create a question that users must answer by selecting one or more correct answers from a list.
• True/False: Create a question that users must determine is either true or false.
• Fill in the blank: Create a question that users must answer by selecting from different text options to fill in a blank space within a sentence.
• Short answer: Create a question that users must answer with a word or phrase
• Matching: Create a question that provides users with two lists of items that must be correctly matched. 
• Hot Spot: Create a question that provides users with areas on the slide that they must correctly identify. 
• Sequence: Create a question that provides users with a sequence that they must arrange in the correct order.
• Rating scale (Likert): Create a question that asks users to specify their level of agreement with a statement.

I think you will agree that the list above gives you plenty of options. However, an email I received this past week pointed out that none of Captivate's Question Types allows for answers that appear in a drop down menu. I suppose there is more than one way to work around the problem (I invite readers to email their alternative solutions and I'll post them in this newsletter), but if you'd like to learn mine, read on...

Note: Before following the steps below, it may be helpful to watch a finished project that demonstrates a drop-down question. Click here to watch the demonstration. After you are finished, close the browser window and return here for your lesson.

Create the Question and Answers

Since you cannot create a drop-down question in Captivate via any of Captivates Question types, the first thing I did was create a simple drop-down question using some basic HTML and NotePad. Before you start rolling your eyes because you do not have HTML experience, the form is really, really simple to create... and you won't have to type very much. In fact, here's the code I used to create the one shown in the sample:

Create the page above and give it the name test.htm.Here is how the page should look when viewed via a Web browser (such as Internet Explorer):

Record the Movie in Manual Capture Mode

1. Using Adobe Captivate 3, choose Edit > Preferences
2. Select the Settings Category
3. Select Manual Recording from the Recording Type drop-down menu
   
   The remaining options are up to you, but you can see my preferences in the screen capture below (specifically, I deselected Record keystrokes)
   
   
4. Click OK
5. Record the movie by choosing File > Record/Create > New Project (Select Software simulation and Custom Size, and then click OK)
6. Select the Web page you created earlier from the Optionally, select a window you'd like to record drop-down menu and ensure Manual Mode is selected in the Recording area
   
   
7. Click Record
   
   A screen capture will be taken for you. But from this point on, you'll need to be diligent about taking the remaining screen capture's by pressing [Print] [Screen] on your keyboard.
   
   Basically all that I did was create 10 screen captures showing the drop down menu collapsed (closed), the drop-down menu open but with nothing selected, the drop-down menu open and one each showing each answer being selected and in its selected state. Then I stopped the recording.

The Captivate Production Phase

1. I added Click Boxes on Slide 2 (each one jumps the user to the answers shown in their selected state)
2. I added a click box on each of the slides showing selected answers that jumped users to the appropriate response slide (correct or not correct)

That's really all there is to it. While the task may seem daunting, it literally took me 30 minutes to record and produce my sample project. Depending on your comfort level with Captivate, and the number of questions and possible answers you need, it will likely take you a bit longer to achieve similar results. However, I hope I have demonstrated that the effect is possible.

If you would like to download the project file (CP) I created for this lesson, click here.   

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Got a Captivate production problem that's making you pull your hair out? Email your problem and let others learn solutions from your experience.

Want to learn more about Captivate? Click here.

Writing a Blog: 10 Tips to Get Started

by Quinn McDonald

When I talk about blogs to a business audience, I get flinty-eyed looks and shrugs. When I add that I think in five years there won't be any websites as we know them, the world will have converted to blogs, I start to get questions.

Here are some simple tips to help you write a good blog.

1. Use a blog host; it's easier than building your own.  A blog host is a company like Blogger, TypePad, or  WordPress that lets you create a blog separately from your website. (I've listed three. There are many more.) You concentrate on the writing, the blog host concentrates on the formatting, publication and getting you read through RSS feeds.
2. Make it easy for your readers. Choose a blog host that's easy for you to work with so you can make it easy for your readers to find topics they want to read about.  I like WordPress, although I started with Typepad. Some charge, some are free. "Free" is not why I moved to WordPress. I like the choices I get with WordPress. I could help my readers find what they wanted. In addition to a search engine (for topics or words),  searching by the 'most popular posts' and 'most recent posts' as well as by date makes it easy for readers to find what they are interested in. And of course, there are tags and categories.
3. Have a goal for your blog. Do you want to drive traffic to your website? Vent your spleen? Write on a focused topic? Develop a daily writing, video or photo practice? Having a clear goal helps you know what to post and what to put in a "save for later" file.
4. Post regularly. Your blog has a built-in ping. That means every time you post, it notifies the search engines. The more you post, the more your site gets updated on search engines. A good rule of thumb is to post three times a week.
5. Use images. People like to see an image when they get to a post. A post that is long and dense makes readers skim and miss your meaning. Images provide emotional connection and impact on a blog. Most blogs make posting images from your digital camera or scans very easy.
6. Name your images. When you give your images a title (there is a place for one on WordPress when you upload the image) your title is available for searching, too. Skipping the title, using a number or just calling it "image," "chart," or "graph," doesn't get searched for as often.
7. Get to the point. Blog rants of 10,000 words aren't as powerful as 200-300 well-chosen words. Sure, you can write long blog posts, but keep track and see what your readers prefer.
8. Your blog is not private. Even if you password protect it, it will leak into some search engine. If you want to write down your secret, dark, unuttered thoughts, use pencil and paper and lock them in a safe. What goes on your blog may wind up in your employee folder.  Don't want it there? Don't run it.
9. Say what you mean. Or not. Once you start a blog and it goes out over feeds, your opinion is there for all to see. Sometimes that's fine. But consider the future: would you want a potential employer to know all this about you? A potential friend? Your mom? Your date (before s/he falls madly in love with you?) If you are going to strip naked (figuratively or literally) in front of the world, you might want to use a pen name. Yes, you are entitled to your opinions. I'm a big believer in the First Amendment. But your potential boss, lover, date, or mother-in-law is also trolling your opinons. There are consequences. It's good to remember that before you write.
10. Don't get even. Recently broke up? Angry at your roommate? Don't dump it all out on your blog. It might feel good for a few minutes or a whole day, but then there is the cleanup. It's hard to pull back opinions. You might get back together, and then you'll have 'splainin' to do, Lucy. And a big, loud, angry rant about someone's faults often says more about you, your tolerance, your inability to deal well with your anger and your issues than about the person you are writing about.

About the Author:

Quinn McDonald is a writer, certified creativity coach and trainer in business communications. See more of her work at Quinncreative.wordpress.com.

Adobe Captivate 3 eLearning Course Now Available

I'm happy to announce that my Adobe Captivate 3 eLearning course is finally posted and ready for prime-time.

There are more than 40 highly interactive lessons, including:

The Captivate Interface | Insert Text Captions | Edit Text Captions | Modify Text Captions and Add Highlight Boxes | Align Objects | Control Caption Timing | Insert and Manipulate Images | Image Stacks | Insert Click Boxes and Set Caption Options | Adding Buttons | Duplicate Slides and Hide the Mouse | Change Slide Timing | Insert Text Entry Boxes | Change the Pointer Path | Text Animation | Frames Rates and Animation | Export and Import Movie Captions | Add Background Music | Resize a Movie | Import PowerPoint Slides | Link to Other Movies | Link a Movie to a Web Site | Checking | Bandwidth and Publishing Movies | Publish to Word | Set Reporting | Options and the Manifest File | Insert a Question Slide | Edit a Question Slide | Set Question Slide Options | Create a Menu Builder Project | Edit and Export a Menu Builder Project | Publish SCOs | Upload Course Content into an LMS

Price: $85.00 (US) for one full year of unlimited access, 24-hours-per day, 7 days per week.

Click here to test drive a few of the lessons in this course.

Ready to register? Click here.

Link of the Week

Free Online Seminars

Adobe is offering the following online seminars throughout November. And price couldn't be more right--free!

Bring your Information to Life with 3D and Adobe Captivate 3 in the new Technical Communication Suite

Tuesday, November 13th, 2007, 10:00 A.M. PDT

Explore rich media support in Adobe Technical Communication Suite. Learn how to leverage a complete solution to bring life to your static content.

As easy as ABC and 123: Creating Interactive Help Systems for Your Rich Internet Applications

Tuesday, November 20th, 2007, 10:00 A.M. PDT

Explore how to turn your existing help systems or knowledge bases into an engaging information experience for your AIR, Flex, Cold Fusion and other applications without the help of your engineering department. Learn how you can leverage existing content to create interactive help or performance support without having to learn Flash. Adobe Technical Communication Suite (includes Adobe RoboHelp 7 and Adobe Captivate 3).

You can also view the following OnDemand Seminars:

Adobe Technical Communication Suite and Adobe RoboHelp 7

Adobe Technical Communication Suite is the most comprehensive suite for technical communicators, instructional designers and eLearning professionals. What does this mean for technical communicators, instructional designers and eLearning professional today and tomorrow? How will this affect the content they create and the customers consuming their information? Also learn about the new release of Adobe® RoboHelp 7.

Real time ROI for Online Help: Adobe® RoboHelp® 7 Deep Dive

Take an in depth look at the much anticipated release of Adobe RoboHelp 7. Find out how you can use Adobe RoboHelp Server 7 to track help system usage or determine skill gaps.

Benefits of Content Reuse: Adobe RoboHelp 7 and Adobe FrameMaker 8 integration in the Adobe Technical Communication Suite

Content reuse delivers time savings and measurable ROI. Understand how to reuse single sourced content in the Adobe Technical Communication Suite. See the integration between RoboHelp 7 and FrameMaker 8. Explore how these industry leading products integrate and how the integration benefits you.

Writing Workshop: Lie, Lay

by Quinn McDonald

You look at your dog, command, "Lay down!" and your dog does nothing. Great! The dog knows grammar and he knows you're wrong.

The number of people who don't know when to use "lay" or "lie" is climbing as fast as the birth rate. In the past week I've heard a politician, a teacher, a minister, and a newsreader on NPR get it wrong. NPR! The last fortress of correct English. I hear a giant toilet flushing, we are all going down the drain.

Aren't sure when to use 'lay' and 'lie'? You certainly aren't alone. Here are two ways, neither involve any grammar. I won't have you diagramming sentences, either.

1. The lazy way. Use 'lie' all the time. You'll be wrong only a tiny fraction of the time.
2. The easy way. 'Lie' means to recline. You want your dog to recline, so you say, "Lie down!" You are tired so you lie down for a nap. The paper is lying next to the pen.

'Lay' means to place. 'Lay the pen on the table.' You then lay the paper next to it. You can even pick up your dog and lay him on the table, too, because you are doing the placing. And finally, when you place yourself in bed, you can say, 'Now I lay me down to sleep." Notice you are adding 'me' to the sentence, you are placing yourself. If you were reclining, it would be, 'Now I lie down to sleep.'

Listen up, Doreen, Tandaleo, Sidsel, Sarah, Lisa. You can do this. I know you can, because you lay it on the line for us every day.

About the Author: Quinn McDonald is a writer, certified creativity coach and trainer in business communications. See more of her work at Quinncreative.wordpress.com